DAVID in HEAVEN R. L. Gal es LIBRARY f UNIVERSITY OF I i SAN DIEGO ] DAVID IN HEAVEN & OTHER POEMS BY R. L. GALES By the Same Author The Vanished Country Folk Studies in Arcady. Series I Studies in Arcady. Series II A Posy of Folk Songs DAVID IN HEAVEN OTHER POEMS BY R. L. GALES LONDON : SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO. LTD. SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & Co. LTD. TO MRS. JULUN STURGIS The Author gratefully acknowledges his indebtedness to the Editors of The British Review, The Nation, The Vineyard, and The Westminster Gazette for permission to include in this volume the poems which have appeared in their columns CONTENTS PAGE DAVID IN HEAVEN n IN PR^SEPIO 19 A BRETON CAROL 20 YULE-NIGHT 22 THE HEAVENLY NOEL 24 THE BALLAD OF ST. NICHOLAS 26 THE ADORATION OF THE GRANDEES 30 WAITING FOR THE KINGS 32 IN GOD'S GLASS 34 BONUS LATRO 36 A BALLAD OF EASTER EVE 37 THE HOLLY HEDGE OF PARADISE 40 AT HEAVEN'S GATE : EASTER DAY 42 AN EASTER RHYME 43 THE KISS 44 MAY IN HEAVEN 45 LITANY OF OUR LADY 47 THE LAST JOURNEY 49 THE MIRROR OF THE WORLD 50 9 Contents PAGE A BALLAD OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER 52 BABY'S FRUIT TREES 58 BABY'S GRACE 60 A POET'S BAZAAR 61 A MAY-DAY GARLAND 62 THE BALLAD OF ANDREW SYMINGTON 63 MARIE LOUISE 65 THE SKYLARK 67 HEARTSEASE 69 A LOVER IN PROVENCE 70 THE VAGABONDS 71 THE CASTLE FAIR 73 THE COCK AND THE HEN 74 THE FESTAL NIGHT 75 THE REVEILLON 77 THE PILGRIM 81 "MALBROUCK S'EN VA-T-EN GUERRE" 82 WAITING 84 THE HOUSE BY BLAVET 86 THE CLERK OF TREMELO 87 FLEURETTE 88 10 DAVID IN HEAVEN WHERE in white the Saints see Light, Glad past all desiring, The delight of that great Sight Is their food and firing ; Day nor night knows no respite Of their blissful quiring. There, intent on merriment, All the blessed and saved, Innocent and penitent, Who their stoles have laved With consent for their content Sing the Psalms of David. Long-time dwellers in God's House Sing with each new-comer, Where the many swallows make All the endless summer. All day long to harp and song David's heart is dancing, Of Our Lady and Our Lord Singing and romancing. ii David in Heaven In sweet fields of Paradise, In green gardens shady, Flowering crest of Jesse's Tree David sees Our Lady : Now to praise Our Lady's Child David's heart is ready. She the Lily, she the Rose, Has for carpet of her bowers Periwinkles and gilliflowers ; She has music where she goes, Lute and harp and dulcimer, Singing spirits wait on her, David is the chorister Of her glories, joys and woes ; Learned clerk or Latiner Never knew, as all aver, To praise her as David knows. She the Royal Merchant's ship Has brought her Food from far, From the weeping earthly lands Where pierced hearts and wounded hands And red garments are. On a harp of seven strings David tells of those old things. 12 David in Heaven Now the blissful Fruit is ripe Round the Tree they harp and pipe, Which that Fruit hath yielded ; Fruit that ne'er can know decay, Fruit that perfumes all their Day, Apple red and gilded. Adam in his heavenly house Knows an end of labour, The gold gown of Eve his spouse Has one only neighbour, The young lambs beneath green boughs Frisk to Abel's tabor. Comes no more from where it flew Now the baleful raven, Noe's Ship has brought its crew To the happy haven. All it meant, the way they went, Sons of Adam's banishment, Clearer grows and gladder, Now divine is each old sign, Dove and Olive-leaf and Vine, Rainbow made of spray and shine, Jacob's Well and Ladder. 13 David in Heaven Each heart burns and bosom swells At the tale that David tells. Magdalen listens as David sings, She hears her story told, The dove that is covered with silver wings And all her feathers like gold ; They marvel all in that town so fair At the silver and gold of Magdalen's wear. As he harks to David's stave, Dismas sees the robber cave, That far night of winter wild, Where he planned three lives to save, Old man, Mother, little Child ; To Salome, David's Psalm Brings the fragrance of the balm That she carried to the Grave. They forget their state and crown, Musing as they listen, Heaven becomes a homely town With wet roofs that glisten. In his song as in a glass All saints see their stories pass. David in Heaven David leads the countless quire Where the singers never tire, Larks that sing the whole day thro' In the immeasurable blue ; Cherubim and seraphim In the tumult of their hymn Are as winds that fan the fire. Blithe the wind and blithe it blows As a-hawking David goes ; David lets his falcons fly At their sacred Quarry high ; Swift and straight they upward dart Winged with praise to strike God's Heart. David's praises are like bees, Heaven is like a singing hive With their murmur all alive In the flower-time of lime trees. David's glee is like the sea, Great and wide and fair and free, All the heavenly mariners In those waters taking ship, See Leviathan at play In a calm and glassy bay, David in Heaven See God's wonders in that deep That the moving Spirit stirs. For the joy and gladness That no words can tell, David sings the old words Known on earth so well, " Alleluia " sings David, David sings " Noel." David sees his Son and God, David harps adoring, For the worth of the great Birth All his soul out-pouring. David in his endless youth Always white and ruddy, Makes the God he sees in truth All his song and study. Leaping, harping, singing still He ascends the holy hill To the longed-for dwelling. Light and truth have led him where He beholds the Beauty fair Beyond mortal telling. 16 David in Heaven All his garments as he goes Smell of musk and orris, He has roses in his shoes For the heavenly morris. Change and chime of tune and rhyme Never fail nor falter, His feet trip without a slip Going to the Altar. David's Psalms to David's Son All saints sing together With the birds of God unshent Of a single feather. Pilgrims know those songs full well Who with staff and scallop shell Quickly haste up thither. David's pride is deep and wide That by them is given The old mirth he made on earth As the praise of Heaven. Storms that once went over him All their waves and billows, Israel's harp that once was hung On the alien willows, B 17 David in Heaven The kiss of Ahitophel And his foes' derision, All seem but a little thing In the Blessed Vision. For time spent in banishment, For all toil and trouble, Tears and fears of earthly years, David now has double. The renown of David's town More than royal robe and crown With two joys arrays him, Joying thro' eternal days In the Son Whom the Saints praise And the Psalms that praise Him. 18 IN PR^SEPIO IN stable straw the Infant lay, Turned from the hostelry away, There was no room its doors within, For Him Who is the whole world's Inn. Creation sang, no longer dumb, Because her great Desire was come ; The sad earth in His joy had part, Who bore her sorrow in His Heart. The Angels danced, the Shepherds piped, Because earth's tears away were wiped ; The Ox and Ass adoring saw The Infant lying in the straw. A BRETON CAROL HEALTH, peace, and joy to you to-day. Good Christians, put all care away ; Master and servants every one, Mistress and maidens, spin no more, Hang on the wall your flaxen store, The time of labour now is done. Jesus is born ! Jesus is born ! O fortunate and happy morn ! Hark to the good news that we bring ; No king nor beggar now is sad, On this day grief itself is glad, How loud in Paradise they sing ! We come from homes and hamlets mean. Alack ! what sorrows we have seen ; Our shirts are hemp, our shoes are wood ; But Jesus went one day to choose, Amid poor men with wooden shoes, His twelve Apostles bold and good. Good Christians, rise and help the poor, For no great things we ask, be sure ; 20 A Breton Carol A little cheese, a little bread, A pippin ripe with walnuts three, And to bedeck our hawthorn tree, An end of ribbon, green or red. Jesus will give for your reward, Because He leaves, our courteous Lord, No gift unthanked in any wise, Three lads to be your stay and hope ; One will be King, one will be Pope, And one will have his father's eyes. 21 YULE-NIGHT A T the Yule-tide the mummers go Thro' woods of holly and mistletoe. The deep midnight is all aflare With the horns' din and torches' glare. They pass a hut where Sisters Three With shuttle and shears work ceaselessly. Like blood and tears the berries show Of all the holly and mistletoe. Deep in the wood a house they see, Half-hidden in a mistletoe tree. They enter in that Holy House All overhung with the mistletoe boughs. The blessed place within is bright With soft, kind light like glow-worm light. A Mother and Babe they see in bliss, Of Heaven and Earth they see the kiss. The mummers sing for a broken spell Thro' all the wood "Nowell, Nowell." 22 Yule-Night The Sisters weaving still their thread Find gold amid the black and red. Like rubies and pearls the berries glow Of all the holly and mistletoe. THE HEAVENLY NOEL OH ! what great thing is done to-night, Or what good news has sped ? What ails the blessed Saints in heaven, They cannot rest in bed ? But up and down so ceaselessly They go in joy and dread. The gate-house all is lighted up, Wherein Saint Peter dwells ; Saint James looks out of his great house, All made of oyster shells ; In his good hostel by the flood Saint Julian rings the bells. Saint Catherine wears her silver shoes And pearl-besprinkled gown ; Saint Barbara from her high, high tower Upon the earth looks down ; Saint Christopher bends wondering eyes On David's distant town. The Angels' chanting sounds afar An ancient waterfall ; 24 The Heavenly Noel They do not listen to their strain, Nor answer to their call ; Their thoughts are on the little earth, Not in the heavenly hall. For there they see a lovelier thing That is beyond the sky ; They see the little Lord of Heaven Upon His hard bed lie ; Their hearts are filled with wonder for The Change of the Most High. THE BALLAD OF ST. NICHOLAS SAINT NICHOLAS was debonair, Saint Nicholas was kind ; As plums come out of a plum tree, Kind thoughts came out of his mind. There was great stir in Bethlehem, The Fates forgot to spin ; All the Angels flew from the roof Of Saint Nicholas at Lynn. The stars shone bright, there was no breath Of any wind that stirs ; The night was throbbing with the noise Of the musicianers. There was a Fair in Bethlehem, They came from near and far ; Merry Andrew and Pierrot, A-following of a Star. All women and men bought presents That winter night so mild, 26 The Ballad of St. Nicholas Trumpets and drums and coral beads, And rattles for the Child. The Bethlehem streets were crowded That winter night so gay ; The men and women of that town Were going all one way. Saint Nicholas supped in his great hall, They made a merry din, The minstrels and the serving-men That brought the peacock in. Saint Nicholas rose from his high table ; Into the town went he ; " He goes unto the Crib," they said, " Such marvels for to see." Saint Nicholas went from stall to stall, He rifled all the Fair Of oranges and gingerbread And trinkets ladies wear, Of sugar pigs and sugar plums, Of watches, pins, and hooks, Of silver walnuts and gold pears, Of pies and picture-books. 27 The Ballad of St. Nicholas Upon the throng that went one way Saint Nicholas turned his back ; His bishop's staff was in his hand, He shouldered a great sack. He climbed into a garret mean, Where two poor babes did weep Sweet Marjorie and little Giles Had cried themselves to sleep. They lay and dreamed of boats and balls, And cups and chains and rings, And lovely lion sixpences To buy all these fine things. They did not see Saint Nicholas, But oh ! the sights they saw, Sweet Marjorie and little Giles, Asleep upon the straw. Saint Nicholas, of all worshippers, Was last to bend the knee ; The Angels had gone back to Lynn When to the Crib came he. When Marjorie first and little Giles Awoke, above their bed 28 The Ballad of St. Nicholas They saw there floating a great bunch Of bladders blue and red. And all the room was like a bower, With flowers and fruits aglow ; Their eyes grew wonder-wide, their mouths Each a round marvelling O. When little Giles was an old, old man, When Marjorie's hair was grey, They told the tale of that great Saint, And Bethlehem Fair-day. 29 THE ADORATION OF THE GRANDEES FROM the far West to Bethlehem Came three Grandees of Spain ; For many months both night and day They had strode on amain, On their high stilts o'er marsh and moor, O'er mountain and o'er plain. One bore a fine Toledo blade, All heretics to slay, One brought gold ingots from Peru, The debts of God to pay ; And one had threaded to his plume A star that led the way. In all the Spains there were not found Hidalgos like to these ; They never yet had doffed their hats, These worshipful Grandees, Nor ever yet had bowed their heads, Or ever bent their knees. They offered gold and sword and star At that low stable door ; 30 The Adoration of the Grandees They doffed their hats full reverently, And bowed the Maid before ; But when they saw the little Child They fell down to adore. Hidalgos two, fidalgo one, That was a Portuguese ; Oh ! when they saw the tiny Babe, They went down on their knees ; They lighted from their high, high stilts, They knelt low on the floor ; Oh ! when they saw God's little Son, They fell down to adore. WAITING FOR THE KINGS OVER the frozen plain snow-white The three Kings will come to-night ; We shall know by the kettle-drums Which way the procession comes. They have come from very far, Following fast behind a Star, In their shimmering robes of silk, Riding horses white as milk. They bring thro' the starlit dark Gold once hid in Nog's Ark ; They bear over snow and ice Bags of musk and myrrh and spice. They have brought from the warm countree Cloves like nails from a blossoming tree, Flowers of a branch of a Tree that grew In Eden when the world was new. They have heard of a wondrous thing, That here is born a little King ; They bring treasures of great worth To the Treasure of the earth. 32 Waiting for the Kings When we see the Kings ride past, Thro' the silence white and vast, In the night will bloom, methinks, Velvet roses and striped pinks. When we see them all aglow Riding over leagues of snow, In their robes of red and gold, We shall never feel the cold. We will print upon the gifts They have borne thro' the snow-drifts, Thro' the bitter weather wild, Kisses for the little Child. 33 IN GOD'S GLASS " TV /f ESSER GABRIEL, l\/ 1 Pray thee to me tell, What thou seest pass, Looking in God's glass. " What will be the lot Of my honey-pot, Of my rose, my dove, Of my light, my love, Of my lambkin white, My darling, my delight, Of my dearest dear, Little Jesus here ? " " My lady, I see woes, Thorns for thy rose, For thy honey gall, For thy light nightfall, For thy dove a cage Made of cruel rage, For thy treasure loss, For thy lamb a Cross, 34 In God's Glass " Three nails and a spear, For thy dearest dear ; Swords for thy own heart As Son and Mother part. " But I see the hour That to thee belongs, When the Cross doth flower, And the swords are songs. " I see from cage and net All birds set free, Heaven full of wings Flying up to thee. " I see slcy and earth Kiss in bliss and mirth, The sun dance for joy, For the glad new Life, After that fell strife, Mother, of thy Boy." 35 BONUS LATRO THEY took him from his robber-cave To die on Calvary ; The wise ones of the world were blind, But the Good Thief could see. They set him by the Lamb of God, He felt an awe-struck fear ; The great ones of the earth were deaf, But the Good Thief could hear. Around him surged the crowd that mocked, On the hillside that day ; The righteous men at best were dumb, But the Good Thief could pray. He went to take his due reward When his day's work was done ; The godly men had played and lost, But the Good Thief had won. In my death's hour, when it may be, Bone Latro, pray for me. A BALLAD OF EASTER EVE THERE was a crooked pawnbroker, The people did bereave, Of all their gold and goodly gear, Whereat they sore did grieve ; They had no heart to ring the bells, Tho' it was Easter Eve. The pawnbroker ate oysters, The Rhine wine he did quaff, And as he feasted royally, He most of all did laugh, That the good bishop that same day Had pawned his ring and staff. He looked around upon the store Of all their precious things, Their silver buckles and brocade, Their pearls and coral strings, Their watches and Apostle spoons, Their rosaries and rings. Our Saviour came to the pawnbroker, And the True Cross bore He, 37 A Ballad of Easter Eve He said, " Among My people's goods My Cross I will to be ; To keep amid thy treasures rare I give it unto thee." The pawnbroker at these same words Both joyed and marvelled much, For the True Cross was worshipped In castle and in hutch ; It was the sceptre of the King, It was the cripple's crutch. He thought how all the flocking folk, With awe and wonder dumb, And all their money-bags unbound To kiss the Cross would come, For the sweet sign that on their brows The priest made with his thumb. But when he raised the Cross aloft, A trophy of his wars, It drew to it all gems and gold He kept behind his bars, Till it shone forth a jewelled Tree, More splendid than the stars. Then swifter than a ship with sails Or than a bird with wings, 38 A Ballad of Easter Eve The Cross moved out of that ill-place All hung with precious things, With christening cups of silver-gilt, With rosaries and rings. To the good folk were all restored Their heirlooms reft away, And that the crooked pawnbroker Was cheated of his prey, O Altitude ! they sang loud At Mass on Easter Day. 39 THE HOLLY HEDGE OF PARADISE THE holly hedge of Paradise, oh ! it grew thick and green ; The king could not enter, nor more could the queen. Oh ! it grew strong and lusty, it was both stout and tall, It went round the Garden like a flaming wall. Since Adam first had sweated and Eve first shed tears, It had kept the Garden with its ring of spears ; The king could not enter, howe'er he bent his mind, There was no gap nor opening for any man to find. None had seen the Garden that behind it lay, All men came unto it, but all must turn away ; They could not pierce the thicket, they could not cleave nor climb, They could not find an entrance by riddle or by rhyme. 40 The Holly Hedge of Paradise It was a Thief of Bethlehem that first a passage made, And broke thro' the holly hedge with tools of his trade ; He first found the place again where none pine or grieve, And came into the Garden upon the Easter Eve. AT HEAVEN'S GATE EASTER DAY T IS to-day the Day of days (Gaude, laetare, O Maria). All the blue is filled with praise, Alouette sings Alleluia. 'Tis the kiss of Heaven and earth (Gaude, laetare, O Maria) For their hymn of bridal mirth Alouette sings Alleluia. Earth and sky to-day are blest (Gaude, laetare, O Maria) For high heaven and lowly nest Alouette sings Alleluia. At Heaven's open gate to-day (Gaude, laetare, O Maria) Earth pours forth her blithest lay, Alouette sings Alleluia. 42 AN EASTER RHYME AN Owl sat in an ivy bush, A Lamb hung on a tree, For that ill fowl, the ancient Owl, A goodly sight to see, Whose eyes might mark in that fell dark What deathly things might be. On the third morn the Lamb was freed, He stood all bright in a green mead, In Daylight before day ; The ivy bush was cleft in twain, Was riven and rent with might and main, And the Owl fled away. 43 THE KISS EARTH sat in sorrow and scorn, Clad in her thistle and thorn, Weeping early and late ; Then all Man's hope and desire Broke into a flame of fire ; The hope and desire of Man Touched the lips of Saint Anne ; Earth laughed in her glad new morn, Mary, her flower, was born Of Joachim's kiss at the gate. 44 MAY IN HEAVEN IN Mary's greenwood Nothing is sad, May-day songs Are its bird-notes glad. Primrose and violet Blow in spring weather, Like Pater and Ave Always together. Softer than the west wind's wing Is the Gloria small fowls sing, How their notes are soft and low As they warble " Fi-li-o." The hedges are white With the hawthorn's glee, The tapers are lit On the candlestick tree. Christ's-eyes and Herb Trinity In those bowers have thriven, Cowslips with the five red spots That are the keys of heaven. May in Heaven The crown imperial for her tears With pearls in glory now appears. The flowers that bloomed out of earthly clay For Mary bloom in the heavenly May. See ! a goldfinch to her throne From earth's homely lands has flown, He has gone to some proud tailor For his gold-brocaded coat ; Cheery trills the salutation From the tiny courtier's throat, Ave Maria ! 46 LITANY OF OUR LADY MOTHER and Queen, whom servants true Salute with all the songs of May, O Mary in the mantle blue Of skies of the Assumption Day ; O Mary, admirable Tower, O Mirror undimmed, O full of grace, Joy of the World broke into flower, Sight for sore eyes in each sad place ; Port of the shipwrecked, balm of grief, Home of the exile, charm of care, Health of the sick and their relief, To prisoners sunshine and sweet air ; O Mary, Clock of fortunate hours, Star of good voyage, hope's good heart, Gold House, about whose garden bowers All swifts and swallows dance and dart ; O Gate, thro' which bold venturers go To shining mystic lands afar, 47 Litany of our Lady O Royal Ship with sails of snow, O Rose and Pearl, O Morning Star ; White rose with silver dews impearled, White foam of the most sacred sea, O Mary, Lady of the World, Mother and Maiden, pray for me. 48 THE LAST JOURNEY THOU, O Soul, alone must go (Non timebis, Anima) Thro' the passage of the snow (Viae finis Patria). Thou must come to thy Desire (Non timebis, Anima) Thro' the frost and thro' the fire (Viae finis Patria). Thou must come to thy Delight (Non timebis Anima) From the deep and thro' the night (Vias finis Patria). Thou, O Soul, alone must fare (Non timebis, Anima) Thro' the solitudes of air (Viae finis Patria). At thy journey's end is rest Quia Christus passus est. 49 THE MIRROR OF THE WORLD OUR Lord, Who dwells in that far land, Sees all earth's seasons change and pass, Reflected in the globe of glass, The globe of glass in Our Lord's Hand. Thro' street and market, to and fro, To and fro go women and men, From birth and then to death again ; Within the glass He sees them so. Earth's days and nights return like rhymes, The changing beat of all its hours, In red-roofed towns with belfry towers ; Within the glass He hears the chimes. They ebb and flow, they ebb and flow, The seas that boats of fishers cross, The wings of swallow and albatross, They come and go, they come and go. 50 The Mirror of the World The moving earth at last will stand, That day that all its skies grow black, The globe of glass will shiver and crack, The globe of glass in Our Lord's Hand. A BALLAD OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER THERE dwelt at the court of a good king A giant huge and black, He could take up Gedney Church, And carry it on his back ; A giant fierce and grim as he No king had in his giantry. This paynim wight was dull of wit, But he held fast one thing, That the strongest man in all the world Should serve the strongest king ; A purpose firm he had in mind, The mightiest king on earth to find. A minstrel sang a song of the Devil, The giant gaped to see That the king made at the Devil's name A sign with fingers three.